


Disguises to Reveal

by hermionemonica



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Halloween Costumes, Identity Reveal, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Not Season/Series 03 Compliant, One Shot, Post-Episode: s03 Poupeflekta | Reflekdoll
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 12:13:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21208352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hermionemonica/pseuds/hermionemonica
Summary: Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain Cheng run into each other at the Mayor's Halloween party. What follows next is a cute scene between the two, where identities are mistaken and revealed.





	Disguises to Reveal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [runningash](https://archiveofourown.org/users/runningash/gifts).

> Happy Birthday Ash! I hope you like this gift!

"I’m sure Alya and Nino are going to love their costumes!" quipped Tikki, zooming out of Marinette’s purse as soon as her chosen had shut the latch door behind her.

"I really hope so. Those two are so adorable, don’t you think?" said Marinette. "I mean, Nino wanted a Rena Rogue inspired hoodie, and Alya wanted a Carapace themed dress. Could they be any more in love with each other?"

Tikki giggled in response.

"But you are yet to make your costume, right?" the kwami asked.

"Yeah, you’re right. I have some ideas, but I need to draw them out to decide."

"Don’t worry Marinette, you have more than two weeks-enough time to create your masterpiece!"

"I guess I better get started, huh Tikki?" Marinette picked a macaroon from the plate on her table and stuffed it in her mouth. Plopping down on the chair, she swung around to face her desk.

Tikki went to help herself to the cookies in Marinette’s cupboard.

When Tikki floated back to Marinette, she saw her chosen engrossed in her sketching, tongue stuck out and eyes scrunched up in concentration. She looked really cute like that. Tikki turned around to see what the design was that she was working on. The black and the ears gave the theme away.

"Are you making a costume based on Chat Noir?"

Marinette sprang up with a shriek; apparently she had been so into her work that she hadn’t noticed the kwami. After she took a moment to calm her nerves, she replied "Not exactly."

"What do you mean, Marinette? Is this Lady Noire then?"

"Nope again."

"Then what is it?"

"Well actually, it is both, but it is neither. I am trying to create a fusion of both the designs, along with some of my own modifications. Like I kept Chat’s bell and tail-belt, but I also included Lady Noir's neon green details. And these,” she pointed to the fur on the collar and cuffs, “I thought would look good.”

"But why go through all the trouble?" "Well, firstly, I didn’t want it to be all Lady Noire because then someone might recognise me, which I cannot let happen, of course. And secondly, I don’t want it to be all Chat Noir because I don’t want anyone, especially that flirty kitty, to get the wrong ideas about my very platonic feelings for Chat."

The unnecessary stress she put on the word “platonic" earned her a giggle from Tikki.

"Oh Marinette, you really think of every little detail, don’t you?"

"Well, Ladybug can’t really afford to miss the spots, right?"

As soon as the words left Marinette’s lips, she seemed to realise what she had done, and her cheeks flushed a deep pink. "Oh no, I guess Chat’s puns are beginning to rub off on me."

"Well, you don’t think Chat Noir will be present at this party, do you?"

"The Mayor of Paris has invited almost the whole city to his Halloween party. I wouldn’t be surprised if the idiot cat turned up in a ridiculous costume!"

As if you’d recognise him, thought Tikki.

“While I understand you are not going as Ladybug in order to protect your secret identity,” said Tikki, as she settled down on Marinette's shoulder, “But you could have done something else too? The party is not superhero themed!”

“You're right, but...” Marinette faltered. How could she explain to her kwami that the idea of a cat costume had been stuck in her head since Reflekdoll? When Chat Noir had turned up for patrol that night, he had commented that she looked cute in cat ears. True, that was a compliment for Ladybug, and not Marinette, but she really wanted to give it a try. Ladybug and Marinette were the same girl after all. “Because I look cute in a cat costume?” Marinette turned to her little friend.

Tikki gave her a knowing look; the tiny deity was thousands of years old after all. She wasn't quite unfamiliar with young hearts.

“Going Ladybug themed again, aren't we?”

Adrien grinned sheepishly at his kwami, who shot him a look of disgust.

“You know what?” Plagg declared, “This is an insult to me! I am the all powerful kwami of destruction, and my kitten is going to represent some other power at this stupid dress-up game!” 

“Well, first of all, this is a Halloween party thrown by the Mayor at the Grand Paris hotel, not a dress-up game.”

Plagg rolled his eyes, and mumbled something that sounded like “Potayto, potahto.”

Adrien smirked, amused, that Plagg could name any food other than cheese.

“And secondly, this is most importantly to protect my identity. If I went as Chat Noir, then it would be game over!”

“Oh, because going as Mister Bug is such a disguise right?”

“There weren’t any male Ladybug outfits available!" Adrien defended himself, "They had all been replaced by Mister Bug suits! Guess Mister Bug made quite an impression, huh?”

Plagg pretended to gag. “Oh please. I know Tikki is a disaster at designing and fashion.”

“Tell her to spend some time with Marinette then,” Adrien joked.

“She already is,” whispered Plagg to himself.

“What was that?” asked Adrien.

“Nothing,” Plagg waved it off, swallowing an entire slice of Camembert whole.

In any other circumstances, Adrien might have pressed on. But now, his mind was occupied with another thought. He smiled at himself, thinking how at the mention of designing, the first name that came into his mind was Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Not anyone else, and he knew so many other designers, being directly associated with the Fashion industry. Not even his father. But he thought of his... friend. Would Marinette be present at the party, he wondered. What would she wear?

“Kid, you there?” Plagg’s voice shook Adrien out of his reverie.

“Yeah.”

“So, there's no changing your mind now?” Plagg whined, as Adrien looked at himself in the mirror. The costume really fitted him like the glove. He made a mental note to thank Chloe later on for telling him about that shop.

“Don't worry,” Adrien went on, “no one will remember Mister Bug that well.”

“Reflekdoll changed people’s looks, Adrien, not their eyesight or memories!”

“You’re overthinking Plagg.”

“You better hope you don't blow off your cover, kid.”

When Marinette walked into the party, she was nervous. This was the first costume party she had attended after acquiring her secret superhero identity. In order to further ensure that no one recognised her as Lady Noire, she had decided to skip the braid or pigtails, and was wearing her hair down tonight. She had gone out of her way to make the suit comfortable, unlike their skin-tight super suits (which she'd never admit to Tikki, lest her little friend felt hurt or offended), but it still felt stuffy. For probably the tenth time that night, she wondered if it'd have been better if she had gone for a loose-fitting onesie style outfit, in stead of the body hugging leather suit. But she knew better than anyone else, that her discomfort was more due to her anxiety than anything related to her outfit.

Her eyes scanned the crowd for familiar faces. It was not an easy job, given that everyone was wearing masks and costumes and disguises, and it was difficult to recognise anyone. After a few minutes of scanning, she noticed a head of red hair bobbing in the crowd. Cursing her short height, she stood up on her tiptoes and craned her neck to get a better view. Alya and Nino were literally smashing the dance floor.

Marinette stood down to her normal level, and smiled to herself. This was probably not the right time to barge in. Alya was awesome, but she was a fireball when she was in the mood. While that meant she was a never-ending source of energy and warmth, she might be a little intimidating and overbearing at times. And right now, she thought it was safer to steer clear of her fiery best friend.

Marinette looked away in search of a comparatively less crowded place, where she could wait by herself till Alya exhausted herself. Just then, a mass of messy blond hair came into her view. There was no way she was going to miss those very familiar spikes. At once, she sprang up and began to push through the crowd to reach him.

Adrien had entered the party with Chloe, but he had since lost her in the crowd. In a way, that was a good thing, but that also meant he was left all alone. Not like he was unaccustomed to being by himself in events, but tonight he was really hoping to have fun with his friends. He tried calling Nino, but he didn’t pick up. Of course, the music was definitely loud enough to drown out the phone chimes. And anyone who was familiar with Nino would know that the aspiring DJ would forget everything else when music was involved.

So he stood there, waving and smiling at the occasional passer-by. It had been ten minutes and no one had yet recognised Mister Bug. Adrien heaved a sigh of relief. He made his way to the drinks counter, and asked for some pumpkin juice.

That was when it happened.

"Chat Noir?"

When Adrien heard someone call him by his superhero name, the word that passed through his mind was "Shit." He was screwed. Plagg was never going to let him live this down.

Oh no. Ladybug was going to kill him.

He turned around slowly with an awkward grin on his face. As he looked into the eyes of his assaulter, he took in a sharp breath. Green met blue, as the grass meets the sky at the horizon. He stood there, mesmerized and transfixed, unable to move his gaze from those enchanting eyes staring at him.

After a few moments, Adrien finally broke off enough to take in the rest of the person. Freckled cheeks, shoulder length raven hair. And she was wearing a cat costume. Neither Chat Noir nor Lady Noire though. And on her wrist was a very familiar bracelet...

"Marinette?"

Marinette seemed to break off from her daze just then.

She looked beautiful.

Oh no. Marinette knew who he was. Adrien was utterly screwed.

"You silly cat, why are you not in your Chat suit?"

Wait a minute...

"Princess?"

"I thought we would be twinning. But you decide to go in your other suit?"

It looked like Marinette had figured out only his superhero side. That was a relief, but only as long as no one called him by his real name in front of her. The best option now would be to get somewhere... private.

As Adrien quickly picked Marinette up in his arms and slung her over his shoulder, he saw that her eyes widened in shock. He prayed that she wouldn’t yell, but it seemed like she was too stunned to react.

He put her down only when they reached the bathroom inside the hotel.

Marinette immediately launched into a rant. “Stupid cat, what the hell was that?”

“Uhh, I wanted to steal some privacy with you?”

“So you had to do that?”

“You know me Princess, I am extra-purr-dinary."

Marinette rolled her eyes and tried hard to suppress her grin. “So what are you doing here? Did you come here with Ladybug?”

“Oh no no. You see, this stray is all by itself tonight.”

Marinette snorted. “No offence Chat, but cat puns in a ladybug costume don’t sound that good.”

“Me-owch, Marinette! Surely you don't want me to give up the very beam of my existence, do you?”

“If by that you mean your puns, then I'd say you need to up your game,” said Marinette as she reached up and ruffled his hair. Chat's hair looked unnaturally tame tonight, and it was bothering her.

This was new. The last time she had seen him as Mister Bug, the poor guy was confused and lost. And now, seeing Mister Bug with Chat's personality, Marinette felt a warmth she could not explain. But why was he wearing Mister Bug's suit? Marinette instinctively touched her earlobes, her earrings were there.

“Chat, did you and Ladybug swap Miraculouses again?” she asked him. What the hell was happening?

Chat looked confused. “Wha- Oh. You're talking about this?” he said, pointing at his body. “It's a just cosplay outfit.”

Marinette blinked. “Woah, this is some brilliant work. Almost like the real thing!”

“Well, I know you are a designer yourself and you'd know all about it. But I won't be so sure to say that this thing is like the real suit. Because, you see, no one but you recognised me as Mister Bug.”

That’s because none of them have seen you from as close quarters as I have, thought Marinette.

“You know I'd know you anywhere!” Marinette winked at him.

It was then that it struck her.

“Wait, you mean everyone outside knows your civilian identity?”

“Um, that is a little complicated, Princess. Just like you know my superhero identity right now but not who I am underneath, the others seem to know my civilian self but not my superhero alter ego.”

“Uh... I think I get what you mean.”

Chat flashed a very Chat Noir-esque grin.

“But that doesn't mean you can just go about flaunting your superhero self, and just giving everyone a very good guess at your secret! What if Hawkmoth figured you out tonight, just because you were so reckless and vain?”

“You know, you sound like my kwami. Are you a fan of cheese too? Because if you are, then I might have some for you!”

“Stop joking, Chat! Focus!”

At that, she struck him over the head with her toy baton. Adrien got a very strong sense of deja-vu. Another day, so long ago it seemed, another raven-haired girl in a cat suit had struck him over the head in the same way. Adrien stared at Marinette, dazed by her for the second time in that evening. His lady had worn the exact same expression that day. Could it be that...? Adrien had never noticed how blue Marinette’s eyes were, almost like Ladybug’s. And Ladybug’s freckles that he had loved; Marinette had the exact same freckles on her cheeks. Had it really been that easy? Their everyday Ladybug was his Lady? Ladybug sat behind him in class all this time and he never noticed? Looking at it now, he wanted to hit himself. How blind had he been? Of course, the two strongest, bravest, and most amazing women in his life were one and the same. The incredible girl who would never back down from a challenge was also the sweet girl who always helped others.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug.

He felt like his cheeks were on fire. What was he going to do now? He wanted to pick Lad-no, Marinette, in his arms and whirl her around while shouting out how much he loved her.

Marinette was looking at him with a strange expression. Her annoyance from earlier seemed to have given way for confusion, although her brows were knit together in concern. Oh she was so cute. He wanted to kiss her. Right then and there.

Maybe he would have, if Marinette’s phone did not ring just at that moment.

Marinette jumped up in startlement, and Adrien suppressed a giggle at this very familiar move of hers. In her hurry to take her phone out of her pocket and receive the call, accidentally put it on speaker.

"MARINETTE!" boomed Alya’s voice, as Marinette pulled her phone as far away from her ears as possible. "WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!"

It took Marinette a little time to get oriented again. "Uh, hi Alya?"

"Girl, I just saw Adrien carry you inside the hotel! Tell me what is going on between you two!"

Adrien gulped.

"Adrien?" Marinette repeated, bewildered. "But I’m here with..." she looked up into Chat Noir’s eyes. How had she never noticed that they were the same shade as Adrien’s? Something clicked inside her, and the cogs in her brain started running again.

"Adrien?" she whispered, unable to break her eyes away from his.

"H-hey Mari." Chat-Adrien scratched his neck nervously.

"Oh my God,” whispered Marinette, still shocked.

Adrien took the phone from her hands, and ended the call. It was better that Alya was kept out of this for now.

“I guess the cat is out of the bag, m’lady.”

Marinette’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What did you call me... OH MY GOD YOU KNOW!”

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fanfiction that I've posted... so, fingers crossed!


End file.
